The Tan Tans met and fell in love in 2001, got married on 13 June 2008, lived in Owase, Japan for a year and are now back in Singapore. They share a common passion and obsession for food and cooking. This blog is about their experiences in Japan, their food adventures and other things that matter.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Mrs Tan Tan's First Post!

Time passes in a jiffy. It's been more than a month since the Tan Tans got married.

It's gonna be month after month of changes as we relocate to Japan in a few days' time. We may be there for only one year, or longer if things pan out well. Our first jumbo box was shipped over the weekend - and a couple more will follow this coming weekend, just before we get onto the jetplane. Right now we're still packing, it's kind of challenging coz SQ has a pathetic baggage allowance of only 20kg.

I think this can be considered a sabbatical for both of us, as we take a pause in life to smell the roses. We want to do the things we've always wanted to do, but were too busy for. Talk about the typical Singaporean who has practically no time for nourishing his/her soul!

Few Singaporeans can understand why we're giving up our careers at this point, to live on less than half (or is it a third??) of the salaries we used to be getting in Singapore. I can totally understand this mentality- because Singaporeans are brought up in a pragmatic system - the more money equates greater success and therefore more happiness. But there are some things in life that cannot be bought with money, and that is self-actualisation and personal growth. We will be returning to Singapore, and I know for sure I will be back to the exciting world of PR in due course, hopefully as a better consultant. Few people love their jobs, and I am blessed to be one of this few.

Over the next year, we will be close to nature, we will catch up on our readings, learn new skills (especially Japanese cooking!) and attempt to better our Japanese. Of course, there will be times we'll be challenged out of our comfort zones, but this is part and parcel of living in a different society.

We thought this blog would be the easiest, and most convenient way to keep in touch with our loved ones and friends. So, stay tuned for more photos and postings, coming to a screen near you :-)